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Columbia Pictures via Everett Collection
It didn't hit me until Sarah Holcomb's topless scene that I was probably too young to be watching Caddyshack. And the reason it didn't hit me is because it wasn't like the other grown-up movies I would routinely dismiss after catching only quick glimpses on our living room television — this one was funny. At eight years old, I found something very special in the VHS copy of Harold Ramis' directorial debut which had come into my possession that evening in the mid '90s gratis of either my Saturday Night Live-loving father, or golf-obsessed uncle. It wasn't even the first time I had seen Caddyshack — I had at least caught most of it in parts — but it was this particular nighttime viewing that would solidify my lifelong favor of the cacophony at Bushwood. It was the first time a real movie made me laugh.
I would laugh at the red-faced exasperation of Ted Knight, who I knew from Mary Tyler Moore Show reruns (I had taken more quickly to adult sitcoms than movies, either because they were more conducive to my youthful attention span or because laugh tracks gave me helpful hints as to where the comedy was). I would laugh at the zany bravado of Rodney Dangerfield, who I knew primarily via impersonations by cartoon characters. But most of all, I cherished every second we spent with Bill Murray, slurring dopily out of the side of his mouth as he harassed the country club caddies and sought the pelt of a charmingly pesky gopher. I had no idea that adults could revel in this kind of silliness — these people were acting more like cartoons than human beings. And I loved it.
Warner Bros. via Everett Collection
Obviously, I didn't get most of the jokes. I adored Chevy Chase's deadpan swagger and rhythm, but a good deal of his dialogue flew over my head. Dangerfield's benign sexual cracks were gibberish to me. And as for the plot? To its credit or detriment (you decide), the film plays more like a series of tenuously connected hijinks than a coherent narrative. So it didn't really seem to matter that Danny Noonan's quest for a college scholarship skirted my eight-year-old attention. I was far too giddy over Al Czervik's cockeyed brass and Carl Spackler's maniacal mutterings to worry that I might be missing something carrying through. Again, it wasn't until stumbling upon a sex scene that it dawned on me that this might be considered entertainment for adults. How could I have missed so much? There was too much funny to fit anything else in!
In the 18 years since, I have watched Caddyshack more times than I can say, picking up on new layers of comedy with every revisit. In middle school, I upped the ante on my appreciation for the comic value in Judge Smails' perpetually ruffled feathers. In high school, Ty Webb's playful linguistics won my nerdy heart. And in college, I returned again to my love of that big-dreaming assistant greenskeeper, trading impressions with my roommate and fellow fan of all things Bill Murray. As my two decades wading back and forth among these performances have helped me realize, the movie is a menagerie of disparate types of comedy. Deadpan, slapstick, blue, highbrow, naturalistic, wacky, farcical, surreal. And somehow, all of it lands. One movie manages to deliver a winning satirical send-up of the moneyed class, an ultra-memorable Jaws parody about human excrement, and an offbeat conversation about the benefits of breeding one's own hybrid species of Bluegrass.
It works because Caddyshack seems to operate by one rule only: the rule of funny. Abiding not by genre, audience, or even its own original conceit (Caddyshack was originally only about the caddies, with Chase and Dangerfield's characters playing very minor roles), Caddyshack is able to regard humor alone in its execution. The result is something unusual. No, unprecedented. Hell, really damn weird. You can't credit a movie that features a love triangle, a pregnancy scare, a super-intelligent rodent, and an extended non sequitur chapter about a bishop losing his faith after being struck by lightning during a stormy golf game with a reverence to the rules of a specific reality. But Ramis seemed to understand that it was the cooperation of these entities that made them all so damn hilarious.
Warner Bros. via Everett Collection
He understood that the buttoned-up justice of the peace was hilarious because of how humorless he was, especially when at odds with a human joke book running amok on his golf course for no ostensible reason other than boredom. Another movie might have used Smails as a brick wall opposite the wiles of the bawdy Czervik, but Ramis found some of Caddyshack's best comedy in his aluminum straight man. He offered cool, collected Ty as a way to smirk knowingly at the absurdity of the goings on at Bushwood, but jumped delightedly into that same absurdity with the mentally harangued Daffy Duck that was Carl Spackler. Still, as profoundly effective as this equation might be, Caddyshack exists beyond the confines of any formula or mathematical law. Once again, there is only one rule to which Ramis seemed to have devoted himself with Caddyshack. And luckily, he understood "funny" enough to be able to pull this off.
It's the reason why I can find the movie as funny at 25 as I did at eight — this full, non-discriminating commitment to laughter. The devotion to the idea that humor itself is a genre, that a single audience isn't limited to the margins of any specific style of comedy. Ramis showcased this in each of his movies, but in Caddyshack most impressively. Few movies like it were being made back in 1980, and even fewer are now. So beholden to traditional comic beats and story structure, the industry is not likely to find itself trusting an anarchical, id-friendly movie like the one Ramis delivered back at the dawn of the '80s. But the beauty of Caddyshack is its ability to refresh its sense of humor with every viewing — to deliver a new sheath of comedy that you weren't paying attention to last time, because you were too affixed on a separate string of gags altogether. We can go back to Caddyshack every year, every five years, or every decade, finding ourselves laughing the most at a different character each time. The one guarantee: each time, thanks to the brilliant sensibilities of Ramis, we will find ourselves laughing.
So we've got that going for us. Which is nice.
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Everett Collection
The 2014 Sundance Film Festival lineup for the U.S. and World Cinema Dramatic and Documentary competition and the out-of-competition NEXT section is officially here, and damn are we excited.
As the festival has evolved and grown, so has the long list of actors and directors who have eagerly jumped on board to be a part of the indie film scene, which means that the lineup of actors for the upcoming event is looking pretty solid. In 2014 we can look forward to seeing the works of those like Glenn Close, Susan Sarandon, John Slattery, Aaron Paul, Kristen Stewart, and Mark Ruffalo, and comedians such as Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Lena Dunham, Jenny Slate, Aubrey Plaza, Amy Sedaris, and more.
The festival will run from Jan. 16 to 26 in Park City, Utah and will include 118 features. Still to come are the lineups for Slates for Spotlight, Park City at Midnight, New Frontier, Premieres and Documentary Premieres, and the new Sundance Kids category.
Check out the lineup so far (via Vulture):
DRAMATIC COMPETITION
Camp X-Ray / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Peter Sattler) — A young woman is stationed as a guard in Guantanamo Bay, where she forms an unlikely friendship with one of the detainees. Cast: Kristen Stewart, Payman Maadi, Lane Garrison, J.J. Soria, John Carroll Lynch.Cold in July / U.S.A. (Director: Jim Mickle, Screenwriters: Jim Mickle, Nick Damici) — After killing a home intruder, a small town Texas man's life unravels into a dark underworld of corruption and violence. Cast: Michael C. Hall, Don Johnson, Sam Shepard, Vinessa Shaw, Nick Damici, Wyatt Russell.Dear White People / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Justin Simien) — Four black students attend an Ivy League college where a riot breaks out over an “African American” themed party thrown by white students. With tongue planted firmly in cheek, the film explores racial identity in postracial America while weaving a story about forging one's unique path in the world. Cast: Tyler Williams, Tessa Thompson, Teyonah Parris, Brandon Bell.Fishing Without Nets / U.S.A., Somalia, Kenya (Director: Cutter Hodierne, Screenwriters: Cutter Hodierne, John Hibey, David Burkman) — A story of pirates in Somalia told from the perspective of a struggling, young Somali fisherman. Cast: Abdikani Muktar, Abdi Siad, Abduwhali Faarah, Abdikhadir Hassan, Reda Kateb, Idil Ibrahim.God's Pocket / U.S.A. (Director: John Slattery, Screenwriters: John Slattery, Alex Metcalf) — When Mickey's stepson Leon is killed in a construction "accident," Mickey tries to bury the bad news with the body. But when the boy's mother demands the truth, Mickey finds himself stuck between a body he can’t bury, a wife he can’t please, and a debt he can’t pay. Cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Richard Jenkins, Christina Hendricks, John Turturro.Happy Christmas / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Joe Swanberg) — After a breakup with her boyfriend, a young woman moves in with her older brother, his wife, and their 2-year-old son. Cast: Anna Kendrick, Melanie Lynskey, Mark Webber, Lena Dunham, Joe Swanberg.Hellion / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kat Candler) — When motocross and heavy metal obsessed, 13-year-old Jacob's delinquent behavior forces CPS to place his little brother Wes with his aunt, Jacob and his emotionally absent father must finally take responsibility for their actions and each other in order to bring Wes home. Cast: Aaron Paul, Juliette Lewis, Josh Wiggins, Deke Garner, Jonny Mars, Walt Roberts.Infinitely Polar Bear / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Maya Forbes) — A manic-depressive mess of a father tries to win back his wife by attempting to take full responsibility of their two young, spirited daughters, who don't make the overwhelming task any easier. Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Zoe Saldana, Imogene Wolodarsky, Ashley Aufderheide.Jamie Marks is Dead / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Carter Smith) — No one seemed to care about Jamie Marks until after his death. Hoping to find the love and friendship he never had in life, Jamie’s ghost visits former classmate Adam McCormick, drawing him into the bleak world between the living and the dead. Cast: Cameron Monaghan, Noah Silver, Morgan Saylor, Judy Greer, Madisen Beaty, Liv Tyler.Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter / U.S.A. (Director: David Zellner, Screenwriters: David Zellner, Nathan Zellner) — A lonely Japanese woman becomes convinced that a satchel of money buried in a fictional film is, in fact, real. Abandoning her structured life in Tokyo for the frozen Minnesota wilderness, she embarks on an impulsive quest to search for her lost mythical fortune. Cast: Rinko Kikuchi.Life After Beth / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jeff Baena) — Zach is devastated by the unexpected death of his girlfriend, Beth. When she mysteriously returns, he gets a second chance at love. Soon his whole world turns upside down... Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Dane DeHaan, John C. Reilly, Molly Shannon, Cheryl Hines, Paul Reiser.Low Down / U.S.A. (Director: Jeff Preiss, Screenwriters: Amy Albany, Topper Lilien) — Based on Amy Jo Albany's memoir, Low Down explores her heart-wrenching journey to adulthood while being raised by her father, bebop pianist Joe Albany, as he teeters between incarceration and addiction in the urban decay and waning bohemia of Hollywood in the 1970s. Cast: John Hawkes, Elle Fanning, Glenn Close, Lena Headey, Peter Dinklage, Flea.The Skeleton Twins / U.S.A. (Director: Craig Johnson, Screenwriters: Craig Johnson, Mark Heyman) — Estranged twins Maggie and Milo coincidentally cheat death on the same day, prompting them to reunite and confront the reasons their lives went so wrong. As the twins' reunion reinvigorates them, they realize the key to fixing their lives may just lie in repairing their relationship. Cast: Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Luke Wilson, Ty Burrell, Boyd Holbrook, Joanna Gleason.The Sleepwalker / U.S.A., Norway (Director: Mona Fastvold, Screenwriters: Mona Fastvold, Brady Corbet) — A young couple, Kaia and Andrew, are renovating Kaia´s secluded family estate. Their lives are violently interrupted when unexpected guests arrive. The Sleepwalker chronicles the unraveling of the lives of four disparate characters as it transcends genre conventions and narrative contrivance to reveal something much more disturbing. Cast: Gitte Witt, Christopher Abbott, Brady Corbet, Stephanie Ellis.Song One / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kate Barker-Froyland) — Estranged from her family, Franny returns home when an accident leaves her brother comatose. Retracing his life as an aspiring musician, she tracks down his favorite musician, James Forester. Against the backdrop of Brooklyn’s music scene, Franny and James develop an unexpected relationship and face the realities of their lives. Cast: Anne Hathaway, Johnny Flynn, Mary Steenburgen, Ben Rosenfield.Whiplash / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Damien Chazelle) — Under the direction of a ruthless instructor, a talented young drummer begins to pursue perfection at any cost, even his humanity. Cast: Miles Teller, JK Simmons.
NEXT
Appropriate Behavior / U.S.A., United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Desiree Akhavan) — Shirin is struggling to become an ideal Persian daughter, a politically correct bisexual, and a hip, young Brooklynite, but fails miserably in her attempt at all identities. Being without a cliché to hold on to can be a lonely experience. Cast: Desiree Akhavan, Rebecca Henderson, Halley Feiffer, Scott Adsit, Anh Duong, Arian Moayed. World Premiere.Drunktown's Finest / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Sydney Freeland) — Three young Native Americans—a rebellious father-to-be, a devout Christian woman, and a promiscuous transsexual—come of age on an Indian reservation. Cast: Jeremiah Bitsui, Carmen Moore, Morningstar Angeline, Kiowa Gordon, Shauna Baker, Elizabeth Francis. World Premiere.The Foxy Merkins / U.S.A. (Director: Madeleine Olnek, Screenwriters: Lisa Haas, Jackie Monahan, Madeleine Olnek) — Two lesbian hookers work the streets of New York. One is a down-on-her-luck newbie; the other is a beautiful—and straight—grifter who's an expert on picking up women. Together they face bargain-hunting housewives, double-dealing conservative women, and each other in this prostitute buddy comedy. Cast: Lisa Haas, Jackie Monahan, Alex Karpovsky, Susan Ziegler, Sally Sockwell, Deb Margolin.A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Ana Lily Amirpour) — In the Iranian ghost town Bad City, a place that reeks of death and loneliness, depraved denizens are unaware they are being stalked by a lonesome vampire. Cast: Sheila Vand, Arash Marandi, Dominic Rains, Marshall Manesh, Mozhan Marnó, Milad Eghbali. World Premiere.Imperial Dreams / U.S.A. (Director: Malik Vitthal, Screenwriters: Malik Vitthal, Ismet Prcic) — A 21-year-old, reformed gangster's devotion to his family and his future are put to the test when he is released from prison and returns to his old stomping grounds in Watts, Los Angeles. Cast: John Boyega, Rotimi Akinosho, Glenn Plummer, Keke Palmer, De'aundre Bonds. World Premiere.Land Ho! / U.S.A., Iceland (Directors and screenwriters: Martha Stephens, Aaron Katz) — A pair of ex-brothers-in-law set off to Iceland in an attempt to reclaim their youth through Reykjavik nightclubs, trendy spas, and rugged campsites. This bawdy adventure is a throwback to 1980s road comedies, as well as a candid exploration of aging, loneliness, and friendship. Cast: Paul Eenhoorn, Earl Nelson, Alice Olivia Clarke, Karrie Krouse, Elizabeth McKee, Emmsjé Gauti. World Premiere.Listen Up Philip / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Alex Ross Perry) — A story about changing seasons and changing attitudes, a newly accomplished writer faces mistakes and miseries affecting those around him, including his girlfriend, her sister, his idol, his idol's daughter, and all the ex-girlfriends and enemies that lie in wait on the open streets of New York. Cast: Jason Schwartzman, Elisabeth Moss, Jonathan Pryce, Krysten Ritter, Josephine de La Baume. World Premiere.Memphis / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Tim Sutton) — A strange singer drifts through the mythic city of Memphis, surrounded by beautiful women, legendary musicians, a stone-cold hustler, a righteous preacher, and a wolf pack of kids. Under a canopy of ancient oak trees and burning spirituality, his doomed journey breaks from conformity and reaches out for glory. Cast: Willis Earl Beal, Lopaka Thomas, Constance Brantley, Devonte Hull, John Gary Williams, Larry Dodson. World Premiere.Obvious Child / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Gillian Robespierre) — An honest comedy about what happens when Brooklyn comedian Donna Stern gets dumped, fired, and pregnant, just in time for the worst/best Valentine's Day of her life. Cast: Jenny Slate, Jake Lacy, Gaby Hoffmann, David Cross, Gabe Liedman, Richard Kind. World Premiere.Ping Pong Summer / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Michael Tully) — 1985. Ocean City, Maryland. Summer vacation. Rap music. Parachute pants. Ping pong. First crushes. Best friends. Mean bullies. Weird mentors. That awkward, momentous time in your life when you're treated like an alien by everyone around you, even though you know deep down you're as funky fresh as it gets. Cast: Susan Sarandon, John Hannah, Lea Thompson, Amy Sedaris, Robert Longstreet, Marcello Conte. World Premiere.War Story / U.S.A. (Director: Mark Jackson, Screenwriters: Kristin Gore, Mark Jackson) — A war photographer retreats to a small town in Sicily after being held captive during the conflict in Libya. Cast: Catherine Keener, Hafsia Herzi, Vincenzo Amato, Donatella Finocchiaro, Ben Kingsley. World Premiere.
U.S. DOCUMENTARY COMPETITIONAlive Inside: A Story of Music &amp; Memory / U.S.A. (Director: Michael Rossato-Bennett) — Five million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease and dementia—many of them alone in nursing homes. A man with a simple idea discovers that songs embedded deep in memory can ease pain and awaken these fading minds. Joy and life are resuscitated, and our cultural fears over aging are confronted. All the Beautiful Things / U.S.A. (Director: John Harkrider) — John and Barron are lifelong friends whose friendship is tested when Barron's girlfriend says Barron put a knife to her throat and raped her. Not knowing she has lied, John tells her to go to the police. Years later, John and Barron meet in a bar to resolve the betrayal.CAPTIVATED The Trials of Pamela Smart / U.S.A., United Kingdom (Director: Jeremiah Zagar) — In an extraordinary and tragic American story, a small town murder becomes one of the highest profile cases of all time. From its historic role as the first televised trial to the many books and movies made about it, the film looks at the media’s enduring impact on the case. The Case Against 8 / U.S.A. (Directors: Ben Cotner, Ryan White) — A behind-the-scenes look inside the case to overturn California's ban on same-sex marriage. Shot over five years, the film follows the unlikely team that took the first federal marriage equality lawsuit to the U.S. Supreme Court.Cesar's Last Fast / U.S.A. (Directors: Richard Ray Perez, Lorena Parlee) — Inspired by Catholic social teaching, Cesar Chavez risked his life fighting for America’s poorest workers. The film illuminates the intensity of one man’s devotion and personal sacrifice, the birth of an economic justice movement, and tells an untold chapter in the story of civil rights in America. Dinosaur 13 / U.S.A. (Director: Todd Miller) — The true tale behind one of the greatest discoveries in history. Day One film.E-TEAM / U.S.A. (Directors: Katy Chevigny, Ross Kauffman) — E-TEAM is driven by the high-stakes investigative work of four intrepid human rights workers, offering a rare look at their lives at home and their dramatic work in the field. Fed Up / U.S.A. (Director: Stephanie Soechtig) — Fed Up blows the lid off everything we thought we knew about food and weight loss, revealing a 30-year campaign by the food industry, aided by the U.S. government, to mislead and confuse the American public, resulting in one of the largest health epidemics in history. The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz / U.S.A. (Director: Brian Knappenberger) — Programming prodigy and information activist Aaron Swartz achieved groundbreaking work in social justice and political organizing. His passion for open access ensnared him in a legal nightmare that ended with the taking of his own life at the age of 26. Ivory Tower / U.S.A. (Director: Andrew Rossi) — As tuition spirals upward and student debt passes a trillion dollars, students and parents ask, "Is college worth it?" From the halls of Harvard to public and private colleges in financial crisis to education startups in Silicon Valley, an urgent portrait emerges of a great American institution at the breaking point. Marmato / U.S.A. (Director: Mark Grieco) — Colombia is the center of a new global gold rush, and Marmato, a historic mining town, is the new frontier. Filmed over the course of nearly six years, Marmato chronicles how townspeople confront a Canadian mining company that wants the $20 billion in gold beneath their homes. No No: A Dockumentary / U.S.A. (Director: Jeffrey Radice) — Dock Ellis pitched a no-hitter on LSD, then worked for decades counseling drug abusers. Dock's soulful style defined 1970s baseball as he kept hitters honest and embarrassed the establishment. An ensemble cast of teammates, friends, and family investigate his life on the field, in the media, and out of the spotlight. The Overnighters / U.S.A. (Director: Jesse Moss) — Desperate, broken men chase their dreams and run from their demons in the North Dakota oil fields. A local Pastor's decision to help them has extraordinary and unexpected consequences.Private Violence / U.S.A. (Director: Cynthia Hill) — One in four women experience violence in their homes. Have you ever asked, “Why doesn't she just leave?” Private Violence shatters the brutality of our logic and intimately reveals the stories of two women: Deanna Walters, who transforms from victim to survivor, and Kit Gruelle, who advocates for justice. Rich Hill / U.S.A. (Directors: Andrew Droz Palermo, Tracy Droz Tragos) — In a rural, American town, kids face heartbreaking choices, find comfort in the most fragile of family bonds, and dream of a future of possibility. Watchers of the Sky / U.S.A. (Director: Edet Belzberg) — Five interwoven stories of remarkable courage from Nuremberg to Rwanda, from Darfur to Syria, and from apathy to action. WORLD CINEMA DRAMATIC COMPETITION
52 Tuesdays / Australia (Director: Sophie Hyde, Screenplay and story by: Matthew Cormack, Story by: Sophie Hyde) — Sixteen-year-old Billie’s reluctant path to independence is accelerated when her mother reveals plans for gender transition, and their time together becomes limited to Tuesdays. This emotionally charged story of desire, responsibility, and transformation was filmed over the course of a year—once a week, every week, only on Tuesdays. Cast: Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Del Herbert-Jane, Imogen Archer, Mario Späte, Beau Williams, Sam Althuizen. International Premiere.Blind / Norway, Netherlands (Director and screenwriter: Eskil Vogt) — Having recently lost her sight, Ingrid retreats to the safety of her home—a place she can feel in control, alone with her husband and her thoughts. But Ingrid's real problems lie within, not beyond the walls of her apartment, and her deepest fears and repressed fantasies soon take over. Cast: Ellen Dorrit Petersen, Henrik Rafaelsen, Vera Vitali, Marius Kolbenstvedt. World Premiere.Difret / Ethiopia (Director and screenwriter: Zeresenay Berhane Mehari) — Meaza Ashenafi is a young lawyer who operates under the government's radar helping women and children until one young girl's legal case exposes everything, threatening not only her career but her survival. Cast: Meron Getnet, Tizita Hagere. World Premiere.The Disobedient / Serbia (Director and screenwriter: Mina Djukic) — Leni anxiously waits for her childhood friend Lazar, who is coming back to their hometown after years of studying abroad. After they reunite, they embark on a random bicycle trip around their childhood haunts, which will either exhaust or reinvent their relationship. Cast: Hana Selimovic, Mladen Sovilj, Minja Subota, Danijel Sike, Ivan Djordjevic. World Premiere.God Help the Girl / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Stuart Murdoch) — This musical from Stuart Murdoch of Belle &amp; Sebastian is about some messed up boys and girls and the music they made. Cast: Emily Browning, Olly Alexander, Hannah Murray, Cora Bissett, Pierre Boulanger. World Premiere.Liar's Dice / India (Director and screenwriter: Geetu Mohandas) — Kamala, a young woman from the village of Chitkul, leaves her native land with her daughter to search for her missing husband. Along the journey, they encounter Nawazudin, a free-spirited army deserter with his own selfish motives who helps them reach their destination. Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Geetanjali Thapa, Manya Gupta. International Premiere.Lilting / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Hong Khaou) — The world of a Chinese mother mourning the untimely death of her son is suddenly disrupted by the presence of a stranger who doesn't speak her language. Lilting is a touching and intimate film about finding the things that bring us together. Cast: Ben Whishaw, Pei-Pei Cheng, Andrew Leung, Peter Bowles, Naomi Christie, Morven Christie. World Premiere.
Lock Charmer (El cerrajero) / Argentina (Director and screenwriter: Natalia Smirnoff) — Upon learning that his girlfriend is pregnant, 33-year-old locksmith Sebastian begins to have strange visions about his clients. With the help of an unlikely assistant, he sets out to use his newfound talent for his own good. Cast: Esteban Lamothe, Erica Rivas, Yosiria Huaripata. World Premiere.To Kill a Man / Chile, France (Director and screenwriter: Alejandro Fernandez Almendras) — When Jorge, a hardworking family man who's barely making ends meet, gets mugged by Kalule, a neighborhood delinquent, Jorge's son decides to confront the attacker, only to get himself shot. Even though Jorge's son nearly dies, Kalule's sentence is minimal, heightening the friction. Cast: Daniel Candia, Daniel Antivilo, Alejandra Yañez, Ariel Mateluna. World Premiere.Viktoria / Bulgaria, Romania (Director and screenwriter: Maya Vitkova) — Although determined not to have a child in Communist Bulgaria, Boryana gives birth to Viktoria, who despite being born with no umbilical cord, is proclaimed to be the baby of the decade. But political collapse and the hardships of the new time bind mother and daughter together. Cast: Irmena Chichikova, Daria Vitkova, Kalina Vitkova, Mariana Krumova, Dimo Dimov, Georgi Spassov. World Premiere.Wetlands / Germany (Director: David Wnendt, Screenwriters: Claus Falkenberg, David Wnendt, based on the novel by Charlotte Roche) — Meet Helen Memel. She likes to experiment with vegetables while masturbating and thinks that bodily hygiene is greatly overrated. She shocks those around her by speaking her mind in a most unladylike manner on topics that many people would not even dare consider. Cast: Carla Juri, Christoph Letkowski, Meret Becker, Axel Milberg, Marlen Kruse, Edgar Selge. North American Premiere.White Shadow / Italy, Germany, Tanzania (Director: Noaz Deshe, Screenwriters: Noaz Deshe, James Masson) — Alias is a young albino boy on the run. His mother has sent him away to find refuge in the city after witnessing his father's murder. Over time, the city becomes no different than the bush: wherever Alias travels, the same rules of survival apply. Cast: Hamisi Bazili, James Gayo, Glory Mbayuwayu, Salum Abdallah. International Premiere.
WORLD CINEMA DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
20,000 Days On Earth / United Kingdom (Directors: Iain Forsyth &amp; Jane Pollard) — Drama and reality combine in a fictitious 24 hours in the life of musician and international culture icon Nick Cave. With startlingly frank insights and an intimate portrayal of the artistic process, this film examines what makes us who we are and celebrates the transformative power of the creative spirit. World Premiere.Concerning Violence / Sweden, U.S.A., Denmark, Finland (Director: Göran Hugo Olsson) — Concerning Violence is based on newly discovered, powerful archival material documenting the most daring moments in the struggle for liberation in the Third World, accompanied by classic text from The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon. World Premiere.The Green Prince / Germany, Israel, United Kingdom (Director: Nadav Schirman ) — This real-life thriller tells the story of one of Israel’s prized intelligence sources, recruited to spy on his own people for more than a decade. Focusing on the complex relationship with his handler, The Green Prince is a gripping account of terror, betrayal, and unthinkable choices, along with a friendship that defies all boundaries. World Premiere.
Happiness / France, Finland (Director: Thomas Balmès) — Peyangki is a dreamy and solitary eight-year-old monk living in Laya, a Bhutanese village perched high in the Himalayas. Soon the world will come to him: the village is about to be connected to electricity, and the first television will flicker on before Peyangki's eyes. North American Premiere.Love Child / South Korea, U.S.A. (Director: Valerie Veatch) — In Seoul in the Republic of Korea, a young couple stands accused of neglect when "Internet addiction" in an online fantasy game costs the life of their infant daughter. Love Child documents the 2010 trial and subsequent ruling that set a global precedent in a world where virtual is the new reality. World Premiere.Mr leos caraX / France (Director: Tessa Louise-Salomé) — Mr leos caraX plunges us into the poetic and visionary world of a mysterious, solitary filmmaker who was already a cult figure from his very first film. Punctuated by interviews and previously unseen footage, this documentary is most of all a fine-tuned exploration of the poetic and visionary world of Leos Carax, alias Mr. X. World Premiere.My Prairie Home / Canada (Director: Chelsea McMullan) — A poetic journey through landscapes both real and emotional, Chelsea McMullan’s documentary/musical offers an intimate portrait of transgender singer Rae Spoon, framed by stunning images of the Canadian prairies. McMullan’s imaginative visual interpretations of Spoon’s songs make this an unforgettable look at a unique Canadian artist. International Premiere.The Notorious Mr. Bout / U.S.A., Russia (Directors: Tony Gerber, Maxim Pozdorovkin) — Viktor Bout was a war profiteer, an entrepreneur, an aviation tycoon, an arms dealer, and—strangest of all—a documentary filmmaker. The Notorious Mr. Bout is the ultimate rags-to-riches-to-prison memoir, documented by the last man you'd expect to be holding the camera. World Premiere.Return to Homs / Syria, Germany (Director: Talal Derki) — Basset Sarout, the 19-year-old national football team goalkeeper, becomes a demonstration leader and singer, and then a fighter. Ossama, a 24-year-old renowned citizen cameraman, is critical, a pacifist, and ironic until he is detained by the regime's security forces. North American Premiere.SEPIDEH – Reaching for the Stars / Denmark (Director: Berit Madsen) — Sepideh wants to become an astronaut. As a young Iranian woman, she knows it’s dangerous to challenge traditions and expectations. Still, Sepideh holds on to her dream. She knows a tough battle is ahead, a battle that only seems possible to win once she seeks help from an unexpected someone. North American Premiere.We Come as Friends / France, Austria (Director: Hubert Sauper) — We Come as Friends views colonization as a human phenomenon through both explicit and metaphoric lenses without oversimplified accusations or political theorizing. Alarmingly, It is not a historical film since colonization and the slave trade still exist. World Premiere.Web Junkie / Israel (Directors: Shosh Shlam, Hilla Medalia) — China is the first country to label “Internet addiction” a clinical disorder. Web Junkie investigates a Beijing rehab center where Chinese teenagers are deprogrammed. World Premiere.
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Houston, we have a problem. Oh wait, Bachelor Sean Lowe is from Dallas, huh? OK, well, whatever. We have a problem either way.
And what a delightful problem it is: the original bastion of mediocrity is back! That's right, America, The Bachelor has returned to ABC's airwaves after a brief hiatus for Emily Maynard to attempt to find love, yet again. And who shall sail these lovelorn seas all the way to the shores of Wedded Bliss?
Sean Lowe, Emily's scraps and the newest, blondest man to smile his way into the hearts of 25 26 women.
Apparently, Sean Lowe has it all! (Him? Really?) He has a great job! He's blonde! He loves family! He has a camera crew following his every shirtless move!
And let me tell you, every move is shirtless with this dude. Is this an advertisement for Playgirl TV or primetime ABC?
Our poor, lonely Sean has wandered these past few months, lost, alone, and scared. He had such strong feelings for the world's blondest woman, Emily Maynard. True love, you guys! The process works! The process works! (Sidenote: the process 99% of the time never works, just FYI.)
Anyway, Sean loved Emily, see, and his bare-chested heart was broken. So broken that he needed to keep his shirt off in order for it to breathe in new life after his was declared over. Thankfully, God (Sean's main dude is the Notorious G.O.D.) has another plan for Sean. And that plan is more televised love. Because only on television can you find the sort of beautiful marriages that everyone in his family has (wait, aren't they all non-TV normals or is there a show we missed somewhere along the line?), and it's beautiful marriage that is missing from Sean's life.
And for that, he is very sad. Poor, lonely Sean. Forever at the kids' table. Everybody take off your shirt and cry.
But Sean is so totally different—and by different we mean exactly the same as everyone else—he believes he's only going to get engaged once.
Yes, Sean, you will be different. A young, conventionally attractive, white, blonde dude who believes that the process works! It works! It WILL work for him, verdamnit!
Needless to say, tonight's episode was one exhausting, drawn-out advertisement for Christian Mingle or something. Only with more flesh (how sinful)!
So clearly, all that purity needed a bit of dirtying. Enter last season's Resident Attractive BadBoy, runner-up Arie Luyendyk, Jr. Oh hi hello, sir! Very nice to have you back. Arie and Sean are buds, and if buds know anything, it's when their friend is a s**tty kisser. So he's giving Sean a kissing lesson because apparently Arie is a super-kisser! (Prove it, Arie. I dare you! Come kiss me on the mouth! Please? No? OK, that's cool, too, whatever.)
Welcome to high school, Sean. (If this first episode was proof of anything, it's that high school is back in session. For everyone.) Use your hands when you kiss a la-dy, Sean! Play with the hair, Sean! Ladies love a quick touch of the face, and don't forget to hold them close! You use your whole body to kiss a lady, says Arie. But what about the evil tongue, Sean ponders allowed.
Has Sean Lowe ever kissed another human before? I'm beginning to wonder. Thankfully, this awkward lesson is preempted by a "will you accept this rose?" practice run. At one point, I was convinced a PA was about to push Sean and Arie's heads together and say "now kiss!"
Remember when I said there'd be a lot of blondes on this show? Apparently ABC got the memo that diversity is the spice of life, because an army of tiny blonde ladies it's not.
This go around we have women of color (finally!), brunettes, a girl with actually curly hair, and my personal favorite, the highly-normal-seeming, one-armed Sarah. She seems completely level-headed and also just normal. Naturally this means she probably won't last long. But I'm rooting for you, Sarah!
Sean starts off his Bachelor adventures by continuing the trend of "doing it differently this time" (just like everyone else, Sean! Doesn't Chris Harrison tell these kids that they make their own rules?) and handing out roses to whatever ladies he wants, whenever he damn well pleases.
That means before, during, and after the cocktail hour. Oh snap, Sean! What a rebel.
Speaking of the ladies—let's meet the kooky bunch!
Desiree is a Bridal Stylist in Los Angeles. She dreams of finding her missing puzzle piece and one true love. She spends her day sketching images of her perfect dress and Ken Doll man.
Tierra is from Colorado. She's family oriented and OHMIGOD SO EXCITED that Sean is the bachelor! Because he's family-oriented! Just like her! What are the ODDS?! They're soulmates, you guys. Plus, her puppy needs a new daddy! His eyes are so dreamy! "Hey future hubby!"
But the intensity doesn't scare Sean: in fact—he digs the s**t out of it! Say what? It's true, when Tierra, the most over-excited Sean fan in the history of bland blonde people arrives, she tells him a story. Tierra has an open heart tattoo on her ring finger—something she hopes Sean will complete. Sean tells her to "wait right here" and he goes inside to tell Chris that he wants to give her a rose.
Sean is breaking the rules and eating the attention right up! What a badass. He finds Tierra sweet, exciting, and filled with "great energy." You know the girls in the limo waiting for their turn to exit are losing their minds in a wave of seething, raging jealousy watching this unfold.
Sean hopes it won't create tension already, but, uh, DUH. OBVIOUSLY! Ha ha ha, oh Sean. You have way more to learn about these women other than how to kiss them
Robin is from Texas: She's quirky! She puts sticky notes with Spanish on them all over her apartment in order to learn. Her entrance involves literal gymnastics to get to Sean. And while she messes up a bit, she's generally pretty charming about it. So far, we like Robin.
Diana is from Salt Lake City, Utah—oh man, does she know Jef With One F aka Emily's ex-fiance?
One can only hope. Diana mentions that she owns a hair salon and now I'm convinced (between her and Jef) that Utahans are especially obsessed with their hair. She has 2 daughters and is a single mom (divorced), but is totally ready to just hit the road with Sean.
Literally, she's trying to pull him away from his mark. Something tells me the extended cut of this involves Sean being stuffed into a trunk. Can't wait for the bloopers!
Sarah! Lovely, wonderful Sarah lives in Los Angeles. Sarah is a total normal person, by all standards—and on this show, that is the highest compliment. She works in advertising and was born with one arm. She's still a beautiful blonde, though, so she totally fits the mold of the show, for the most part.
While most girls were clawing at each other's throats to steal Sean away for alone time, Sarah was refreshingly honest about her own insecurities and disinterested in the chase that most of the women seemed to revel in. Which means she'll probably be deemed too boring for television and kicked off the show early. Take it as a compliment, Sarah—and we're glad you got an early rose, too.
Ashley P. is from Michigan and obsessed with finding love because all her friends are married. She loves her cat and Christian Grey! She WANTS TO BE MARRIED SO BAD OMG HOW IS LIFE WORTH LIVING WITHOUT A MAN?!
Well it can be worth living if you read 50 Shades of Grey and get drunk on national television instead. Homegirl shows up with a blue tie (hidden between her boobs) that she wants to wrap about Sean's neck and choke him into orgasmic submission with. Or something. I don't know, I am terrified of her.
Lesley M. lives in DC because she works in politics. But she hates politicians. Great place to live and perfect career choice then, eh?
Originally from Arkansas, she's a "modern southern belle" and she thinks Sean is the one. She brings a football because sports! No just kidding, she wanted to look at his ass. If Sean can't be the one, she'll at least get one minute in staring at his ham hocks.
Kristy is a Ford Model, which she will remind you of over and over, because it's like, totally a prestigious modeling agency (true facts: it is! Glad she wasn't such a braggart about it...oh wait!) that is only for the most attractive of attractive people.
I don't know if Kristy is actually an over-confident jerk, but it sure looks like they are going to portray her as such. Why do they always make the model-types look like jerks? I know two whole, real-live models, and neither of them is a jerk. I've heard some jerk models exist, but why do they only seem to flock to The Bachelor?
One thing that makes Kristy unique is that the only phrase she has mastered in the English language is "the best of the midwest!"
AshLee F. has a very cluttered name for a Professional Organizer: what's up with that, AshLee? AshLee is obsessed with being organized because clearly she feels out of control in her life. I imagine she spends many a night alternating between crying in her shower, screaming "why?" and getting black-out drunk.
The great thing about how organized she is, is that when she's feeling a little out of control, she knows exactly which drawer her hairshirt collection is in, so she can try them all on at once and rock herself into a blissful, calm slumber. She's also adopted!
Lacey is a human disco ball with a "heart of lace" (literally! Get it? Do ya? Do ya, Sean?) so Sean can remember her.
Paige the jumbotron operator from NYC was on Bachelor Pad 3, so some of you may recognize her. She, too, is a firm believer in that age-old adage "this process can work," which is hilarious coming from someone who weaseled her way into the Bachelor empire on the trashiest and least-love-driven show of the bunch.
Amanda is a "fit model" which I guess is different from a regular model. Since, you know, all those other models are just so unfit! Har har har, jokes!
Amanda wants to get the awkward pause when you don't know someone out of the way. So they sit and stare at each other for 30 seconds. Pretty people looking at each other hardly feels awkward. Girls, why do we all have to think of something weird and overly-cutesy every.single.time?
Keriann is an entrepreneur from Florida—which I always knew to mean one very specific thing, though I don't want to pass that judgment onto Keriann (or the entire state of Florida).
She drove over 2,000 miles to be here! Which, I mean, that's great and all but The Proclaimers WALKED 1,000 miles to fall down at their girls' door (which is way harder than driving!), so, meh. Color me unimpressed, Keriann.
Desiree has pennies for wish-making, and Brooke is a community organizer from Pittsburgh who may also be part cat. Ashley H. believes herself to be the Barbie to Sean's Ken, and is another model who seems unable to keep herself from reminding Sean how great it is to meet him.
After her came Lauren, who is either a little bit Italian and a fan of stereotypes, or the daughter of a mob boss who will break Sean's legs if necessary. She's also a journalist, so this was probably at least the fifth draft of that speech that she had prepared. Girl, should've gone with the fourth draft.
And finally we have number 25 herself, Lindsay. Oh Lindsay. Lindsay, Lindsay, Lindsay. What are we to do with you? Lindsay is a subsitute teacher and also the substitute bride! That's right, a girl with probably no less than 10 Pinterest boards dedicated to Her Big Day, she comes on strong. Very strong.
She kisses Sean square on the mouth (he couldn't even prepare himself with Arie's tips!) and scares him half to death. You can see Sean running away, mentally, as she hums 'Here Comes the Bride.' Oh lawdy, this one. I was shocked when she got the rose, y'all. And you know the other girls who didn't make it through were right pissed off.
But wait! There's a surprise! This year will feature not 25, but 26 girls! Hello, Kacie B! Everyone remembers her, yes? She was the one everyone wanted the last Bachelor, Ben Flajnik to end up with at first. Her parents totally ruined her chances of his heart, though.
She wants a second chance with the guy who's getting a second chance! Sean is so excited she's here because they've hung out before and he considers her a friend. Could romance be in their future? Yeah, probably not, but Kacie is bound to try (and cry) her way though a few episodes, at least.
She is scared of the girls, because duh. This sort of "shocking" addition isn't shocking anymore, Bachelor—you've done it every season for the past few now. Enough.
Leslie H., the poker dealer, does not like the odds in this situation. The other girls are pissed.
Every utterance heard from the limo during the introductions can be summed up as the following: OMG, he's SO CUTE AND HANDSOME! Aww! LOLz! Right out the gate, there's territory marking from the get-go! A flurry of hugs and lipstick marks and sparkly dresses.
There are enough extensions to breed a small army of Shetland ponies. There are embarrassing made-up handshakes. One of the girls is even a cruise ship entertainer who wrote Sean a song (Kelly)! It's amazing she had time to write a song in between all the hours she must've spent in the tanning bed.
There's a yoga instructor (of course) to help Sean align his chakras. Forced smiles and declarations of Sean's cuteness. Everyone likes that he's cute, and handsome, and a man, and nice, and also definitely hot and dreamy. Every girl has dreamed Sean into reality: he is greater than the sum of his parts. All in a night's work!
Women be actin' a fool on this show—and this season seems to be no different. There's a screaming match—wow, ladies, you're all just so wild and free! How do you even handle that? It must be so intense to be you.
At this point in the evening, Sean has spoken to most of the girls, and handed out roses to several of them. Putting yourself out there for love is hard: sometimes you have to talk to people you want to kiss on the mouth and they have to listen to you.
Sometimes it doesn't work out, which is so weird! That never happens to anyway, so I can only imagine the pain these women must be going through. They've gotten to spend a whole evening in the general vicinity of Sean Lowe! How could they not fall in love instantly, right?!
The girls are all atwitter over Sean's decision to hand out roses as he so pleases, so there's only one thing to do: get wasted.
And wasted is exactly what Ashley P. gets. She's dancing around, throwing her blue neck tie around, quoting 50 Shades and telling Sean how normal she is while jokingly tying him up and explaining how her mom is already calling him her son-in-law. Totally normal!
Dance like no one's watching, Ashley P. And if they are watching, show 'em your ass tattoo. Hi mom!
These ladies are ravenous for some Grade-A, Sean Lowe man meat, so a stealing frenzy erupts. For a moment, I thought I was watching the National Geographic channel.
It was like when you see a bunch of seagulls attack the last remnants of a fallen funnel cake on the Jersey Shore. Heartbreaking and also terrifying.
In the end, Sean can only hand out so many roses. 12 have already been secured by ladies who managed to pry them from Sean's cold, dead hands, so 7 remain. The women are crying. It's too hard, you guys! But Sean wants to find his wife, so they must carry on for the sake of his unending loneliness.
Going into the rose ceremony, 12 girls already have roses, there are 7 left. Sean wants to find his wife, y'all.
Say Goodbye To Your Dreams, Following Ladies. Love Doesn't Live Here, Anymore:
Lauren
Kelly
Jackie
Paige
Kelly, who is SO totally embarrassed because now that she's been eliminated on the first night, no one in the entire human world will want to date her ever again. (Totally true and logical.) Is it worth it to be in love if she has to feel this way?! OH, Kelly—ever the philosopher, this one! Opening yourself up to love hurts and sucks and oh just shut the f**k up and go home already.
Ashley H.
Ashley P.
So there we have it, friends. We did it, we really did it. What's to come in our future? Rock-climbing, beaches, helicopter rides, kisses, and D-R-A-M-A! The claws are out, y'all. Someone holds a secret!
Someone has a boyfriend or maybe boyfriendS, and an ex-boyfriend comes back into the picture. There are s**ty cookies and girls that are like, so totally above it all. And maybe the girls also hurt someone on purpose? Something is so totally crazy, and everyone is crying all the time. Even Sean!
He is stunned and doesn't know what's going on. He's blind-sided! SEAN IS HURT! Call the wahmbulance! Alert the media! This lonely boy is ready to make a crash landing.
Game on, indeed.
What did you think of tonight's premiere of The Bachelor? Have any favorites picked out yet? Sound off in the comments!
[Photo Credit: ABC]
Follow Alicia on Twitter @alicialutes
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Alright Supernatural fans, raise your hands if you suffered a heart attack last night.
I'm not talking about cardiac arrest because of any vampirate (vampire-pirate) action we saw thanks to Benny's (Ty Olsson) old nest. No, I felt myself suffering from some serious heart palpitations last night courtesy of one, single handshake.
That handshake! Let's back up: Dean (Jensen Ackles) left Sam (Jared Padalecki) to take care of "personal crap" which really meant helping out his vampire friend Benny take out his old nest. Benny and Dean successfully clear out and behead all the vampires, including Benny's ex-love of his life. They boat back to shore where Sam awaits, looking pretty pissed off but quite curious as to who his brother cleaned out a nest of vamps with. And so Sam and Benny shake hands...
Sam realizes instantly what Benny is. The next 30 seconds are the most intense seconds of this entire season, and arguably one of the best scenes of Supernatural to date. Sam slowly reaches for his weapon, Benny knows exactly what he's reaching for, and Dean shakes his head ever so subtly, telling Sam to not hurt Benny. The look on Sam's face says it all. (Major kudos to Padelecki in this scene. The amount and intensity of emotions playing across his face were incredible.)
You see, up until this point, Sam had no idea Dean was friends with a vampire. For their entire lives, Dean has always been adamantly against all monsters. He killed Sam's friend because she was a werewolf. This has caused quite the problem between the brothers, and now Sam finds out Dean is friendly with a vampire. And we finally got the scene we have been waiting for ever since Dean escaped from Purgatory: Benny, meet Sam. Sam, meet the monster your brother has grown closer with than he is with you.
But of course, like I said, this exchange happened in the last 30 seconds of the episode. We were left with Benny saying, "Seems like you two have a lot to talk about." Understatement. Of. The. Season.
Supernatural returns Wednesday at 9 p.m. EST on the CW.
Follow Sydney on Twitter @SydneyBucksbaum
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Oh, the Emmys. These awards can be so crazy and unpredictable! Haha. Just kidding. That was a joke. The Emmys is sort of like a high school prom — the theme changes slightly every year and there is a different king and queen, but it's always the same party with the same streamers in the same gymnasium. That said, who would ever miss their prom?!
Certainly not me, but it does make discerning who is going to be Prom King and Queen — oh, sorry, Best Actor and Actress — kind of easy. And, just like in high school, the person holding the scepter isn't always the one who is most deserving. So, in anticipation of the Awards on Sunday, Sept. 23, here are my picks for who will win... and who should win. I didn't pick a Miss Congeniality, because we all know it would go to Heather Locklear anyway.
Best Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire
Breaking Bad
Downton Abbey
Game of Thrones
Homeland
Mad Men
Will Win: Breaking Bad: The long reign of Mad Men will probably be coming to an end after four consecutive wins and the Academy will most likely reward this other critic's darling, which has a lot more punch and pizazz that voters usually like. That's what being on meth will do to ya! That is, unless these two AMC shows cannibalize each other's votes and we get another winner.
Should Win: Homeland: What this race really needed was some new blood... and there was no show bloodier than the first season of this Showtime hit. Not only was it twisty and unpredictable, it also had amazing performances and told a story that comments on the world we live in now, even a decade after 9/11.
Best Comedy Series
The Big Bang Theory
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Girls
Modern Family
30 Rock
Veep
Will Win: Modern Family: There is no doubt, this is everyone's favorite comedy. Even Ann Romney likes it! Even as it ages, there is no beating this crowd-pleaser.
Should Win: Girls: I was very skeptical of this HBO comedy when it started and I still can't stand most of the characters that populate Lena Dunham's Brooklyn, but that doesn't mean this show shouldn't be recognized. The season ended up being smart, funny, touching, insightful, and speaking to an audience that is otherwise ignored. This is one of those shows that, looking back, will be hailed as a watershed, and not just because it had a girl running through the streets on crack. Though that does help.
Best Leading Actor in a Drama Series
Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Damian Lewis, Homeland
Will Win: Bryan Cranston: He's won every year he's been eligible and with good reason. Walter White is an absolute monster and it takes someone with the skill of Cranston to turn in a nuanced performance without turning him into another hammy version of Scarface. It leaves us all asking, "Malcolm in the where now?"
Should Win: Damian Lewis: Speaking of nuanced monsters, did you catch the range of emotions Lewis had to go through as a POW who may also be a secret terrorist? And he's not even an American. Does he get extra credit for the great Mid-Atlantic accent (and the shirtless scenes)?
Best Leading Actor in a Comedy Series
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Don Cheadle, House of Lies
Louis C.K., Louie
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men
Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Who Will Win: Louis CK: Wow, most of these nominees are staler than the bag of Bugles that fat Betty Draper left under the couch. Mr. CK ('cause he's nasty) is the only one doing anything exciting or original these days. This will be the ultimate consolation prize for his show not winning any other awards.
Who Should Win: None of these other jokers.
Best Leading Actress in a Drama Series
Kathy Bates, Harry's Law
Glenn Close, Damages
Claire Danes, Homeland
Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
Who Will Win: Claire Danes: Can you say no to Angela Chase, especially with that head of preternaturally shiny hair? (It's so shiny!) But Danes did earn every vote as a trouble plagued CIA analyst who will do anything to stop a man she thinks is a terrorist. Including cussing more than a sailor who stubbed his toe.
Who Should Win: Elisabeth Moss: Another season and another great turn for Peggy Olson, especially with her arc allowing her to come into her own and leave Sterling, Cooper, Draper, Pryce. What does this girl gotta do to win an award?
Best Leading Actress in a Comedy Series
Zooey Deschanel, New Girl
Lena Dunham, Girls
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Melissa McCarthy, Mike &amp; Molly
Amy Poehler, Parks &amp; Recreation
Who Will and Should Win: Julia Louis-Dreyfus: The Academy loves to reward a veteran and, as the only Seinfeld survivor to go on to a successful TV career, Louis-Dreyfus is definitely a vet. But it was her turn as this simultaneously harried and charismatic Vice President that makes her actually deserve this award. Her reading a PSA script from a teleprompter was done as a bit to run with the closing credits, but it was one of the funniest minutes of comedy on the air last year.
Best Miniseries or Movie
American Horror Story
Game Change
Hatfields &amp; McCoys
Hemingway &amp; Gellhorn
Luther
Sherlock
Who Will Win: American Horror Story: Ryan Murphy scared the bejesus out of all of us. No, it wasn't because of the frights in this horror story, but because the show did everything a TV show shouldn't do: It had a storyline that only lasted one season, it kill off the leads, and it honed a talented acting troupe for seasons to come. His risk should pay off for the ultimate reward. No, I don't mean he'll be visited by a guy in a gimp suit (though he might like that).
Who Should Win: Hatfields &amp; McCoys: I'm still not entirely convinced that AHS is a miniseries or movie or if it should be competing in the Best Drama category. If it's not a miniseries, then the statue should go to this crowd-pleaser, which not only brought back the genre as we used to know it, but proved it could be a gigantic hit.
Best Leading Actor in a Miniseries or Movie
Woody Harrelson, Game Change
Clive Owen, Hemingway &amp; Gellhorn
Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia (Masterpiece)
Idris Elba, Luther
Kevin Costner, Hatfields &amp; McCoys
Bill Paxton, Hatfields &amp; McCoys
Who Will Win: Kevin Costner: The miniseries or movie categories were basically invented so that the Emmys could get movie stars to attend. And it does this with the promise of gold. It probably won't be any different this year than last year when Kate Winslet won.
Who Should Win: Idris Elba: Call it the Revenge of Stringer Bell.
Best Leading Actress in a Miniseries or Movie
Julianne Moore, Game Change
Connie Britton, American Horror Story
Nicole Kidman, Hemingway &amp; Gellhorn
Emma Thompson, The Song of Lunch (Masterpiece)
Ashley Judd, Missing
Who Will and Should Win: Julianne Moore: With four movie stars in this category, poor Connie Britton (who is quite deserving in her own right) doesn't stand a chance. While Kidman may be the bigger star, it's Moore's stunning transformation into Sarah Palin that should rivet voters. We can almost see her winning from our house.
Best Reality Competition
The Amazing Race
Dancing With The Stars
Project Runway
So You Think You Can Dance
Top Chef
The Voice
Who Will Win: Amazing Race: Ugh, again! When will it end?
Who Should Win: Anyone else: Amazing Race has been a snooze since the Bush Administration, but Academy voters don't know any other shows and think an around the world vacation with their significant other sure looks fun. That's why they keep voting for this. Enough! There are plenty of reality shows on TV — choose someone else! I would go with The Voice, for being the only show to shake up the singing competition formula with any real results.
Best Reality Host
Tom Bergeron, Dancing With The Stars
Cat Deeley, So You Think You Can Dance
Phil Keoghan, The Amazing Race
Ryan Seacrest, American Idol
Betty White, Betty White's Off Their Rockers
Who Will Win: Betty White: The Academy thinks she needs one more trophy before her retirement (or something worse). Also, they have absolutely no respect for the reality categories. For shame!
Who Should Win: Cat Deeley: If you do not think this leggy Brit who is as quick with a punchline as she is with a compassionate shoulder for contestants to cry on doesn't deserve to win, then you are an idiot with no eyes. There, I said it. Speaking of no eyes, she also chooses all her own outfits and they are often – how should I put this? – unique. We need her to show up on stage wearing one.
Best Variety Program
The Colbert Report
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Real Time with Bill Maher
Saturday Night Live
Who Will Win: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart: I just got off the phone with 2018 and it's still going to win then too. Just accept it.
Who Should Win: Late Night with Jimmy Fallon: You have to appreciate the daffy way he creates viral videos with everything from Barack Obama to the Real Housewives franchise. This is a man who knows that the future of the genre is as much on YouTube as it is on the boob tube.
Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad
Giancarlo Esposito, Breaking Bad
Brendan Coyle, Downton Abbey
Jim Carter, Downton Abbey
Jared Harris, Mad Men
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Who Will and Should Win: Giancarlo Esposito: One of the most terrifying villains on television didn't yell and scream and shoot up the place. He took over with quiet determination and a calm exterior that belied a deadly inner life. Esposito's Gus Fring was a study in self-restraint and his end will go down in TV history.
Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife
Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey
Christina Hendricks, Mad Men
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife
Who Will and Should Win: Christina Hendricks: She's long been known for the curves of her body, but this season, it was the curveballs her character threw when she decided to kick out her husband, take her destiny in her own hands, and finally get herself on equal footing with the men (of course, only by making a horrible sacrifice). She's made her portrayal of one of the most complicated women on TV look absolutely easy, so it's about time she had a busty gold lady of her own.
Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Ed O'Neill, Modern Family
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family
Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family
Bill Hader, Saturday Night Live
Max Greenfield, New Girl
Who Will Win: Someone from Modern Family: Just pick one. Does it matter. Maybe Ed O'Neill. Is it his turn yet? Fine, then Ty Burrell. Whatever.
Who Should Win: Max Greenfield: It's a hard job stealing a show called The New Girl while having a Y chromosome, but Greenfield's fully-realized Schmidt was the character who audiences really wanted to see, even as they knew he should be stuffing $10s into the douche jar.
Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory
Merritt Wever, Nurse Jackie
Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
Kathryn Joosten, Desperate Housewives
Who Will Win: Mayim Bialik: Since the boys will be shut out in the acting category, it looks like good old Blossom's work as one of this show's girl geeks is going to get some deserved attention. But look for a possible Kristen Wiig upset for her final season on SNL.
Who Should Win: Merritt Wever: She's long been the funniest thing on Nurse Jackie and she should finally get some recognition for a character that is just on the right side of wacky and vulnerable when she needs to be. If she doesn't get nominated more often, the Academy is on more drugs than Jackie.
Best Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie
Sarah Paulson, Game Change
Frances Conroy, American Horror Story
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story
Judy Davis, Page Eight (Masterpiece)
Mare Winningham, Hatfields &amp; McCoys
Who Will and Should Win: Jessica Lange: There is no one we'd rather watch chew the scenery and destroy lives with a syrupy southern accent than Ms. Jessica Lange. Also, remember the rule about giving these trophies to movie stars?
Best Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie
Ed Harris, Game Change
Denis O'Hare, American Horror Story
David Strathairn, Hemingway &amp; Gellhorn
Martin Freeman, Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia (Masterpiece)
Tom Berenger, Hatfields &amp; McCoys
Who Will Win: Ed Harris: I honestly have no idea on this one, but the fact that Ed Harris has been nominated for an Oscar and is competing in a category for movie stars makes him the best bet. Who Should Win: Denis O'Hare: Between Larry Harvey and his Russell Edgington on True Blood, this hard-working character actor finally deserves to scare up a trophy. Scare up. Get it? Follow Brian Moylan on Twitter @BrianJMoylan [Photo Credit: Wenn] More: 2012 Emmy Awards: See the Full List of Nominees! Emmys 2012: 10 Burning Questions! Emmys 2012: Snubs, Shockers and Surprises!

There's an allure to imperfection. With his latest drama Lawless director John Hillcoat taps directly into the side of human nature that draws us to it. Hillcoat finds it in Prohibition history a time when the regulations of alcohol consumption were subverted by most of the population; He finds it in the rural landscapes of Virginia: dingy raw and mesmerizing. And most importantly he finds it in his main character Jack Bondurant (Shia LaBeouf) the scrappy third brother of a moonshining family who is desperate to prove his worth. Jack forcefully injects himself into the family business only to discover there's an underbelly to the underbelly. Lawless is a beautiful film that's violent as hell striking in a way only unfiltered Americana could be.
Acting as the driver for his two outlaw brothers Forrest (Tom Hardy) and Howard (Jason Clarke) isn't enough for Jack. He's enticed by the power of the gangster figure and entranced by what moonshine money can buy. So like any fledgling entrepreneur Jack takes matters into his own hands. Recruiting crippled family friend/distillery mastermind Cricket (Dane DeHaan) the young whippersnapper sets out to brew his own batch sell it to top dog Floyd Banner and make the family rich. The plan works — but it puts the Bondurant boys in over their heads with a new threat: the corrupt law enforcers of Chicago.
Unlike many stories of crime life Lawless isn't about escalation. The movie drifts back and forth leisurely popping in moments like the beats of a great TV episode. One second the Bondurants could be talking shop with their female shopkeep Maggie Beauford (Jessica Chastain). The next Forrest is beating the bloody pulp out of a cop blackmailing their operation. The plot isn't thick; Hillcoat and screenwriter Nick Cave preferring to bask in the landscapes the quiet moments the haunting terror that comes with a life on the other side of the tracks. A feature film doesn't offer enough time for Lawless to build — it recalls cinema-level TV currently playing on outlets like HBO and AMC that have truly spoiled us — but what the duo accomplish is engrossing.
Accompanying the glowing visuals and Cave's knockout workout on the music side (a toe-tapping mix of spirituals bluegrass and the writer/musician's spine-tingling violin) are muted performances from some of Hollywood's rising stars. Despite LaBeouf's off-screen antics he lights up Lawless and nails the in-deep whippersnapper. His playful relationship with a local religious girl (Mia Wasikowska) solidifies him as a leading man but like everything in the movie you want more. Tom Hardy is one of the few performers who can "uurrr" and "mmmnerm" his way through a scene and come out on top. His greatest sparring partner isn't a hulking thug but Chastain who brings out the heart of the impenetrable beast. The real gem of Lawless is Guy Pearce as the Bondurant trio's biggest threat. Shaved eyebrows pristine city clothes and a temper like a rabid wolverine Pearce's Charlie Rakes is the most frightening villain of 2012. He viciously chews up every moment he's on screen. That's even before he starts drawing blood.
Lawless is the perfect movie for the late August haze — not quite the Oscary prestige picture or the summertime shoot-'em-up. It's drama that has its moonshine and swigs it too. Just don't drink too much.
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Sofia Vergara, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet, Julie Bowen and Ty Burrell claim their current longterm deals with 20th Century Fox TV are in violation of California labour laws, which state personal service contracts can last no longer than seven years.
They are asking a judge to declare their prior agreements null and void, allowing them to renegotiate fresh contracts with increased salaries.
Co-star O'Neill was not part of the action, but on Thursday (26Jul12) an amended complaint was filed.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, O'Neill wants his deal declared "illegal" because of the alleged labour law violation.
Due to the lawsuit filing, a cast table read-through was scrapped on Tuesday, but the stars are said to have reunited on Thursday for the postponed get-together.

The nominations for the 64th Primetime Emmy Awards were announced this morning, and while there weren't many major head scratchers on the list, there were still some things that could leave you scratching your head. Why wasn't Parks and Recreation star Nick Offerman there this morning to announce the nominees? (Better yet, why wasn't he one of the nominees announced?) Why was American Horror Story in the Miniseries category? Why was Hemingway &amp; Gellhorn nominated... for anything? Why is Emmy host Jimmy Kimmel in his pajamas?
Well, we've got the answers to all your burning Emmy questions right here! (Except for "Can you give Jon Hamm my number?" No, no we cannot.) Check them out below and if you've got any other 2012 Emmy questions, leave them in the comments section!
1. Why wasn't Parks and Recreation star Nick Offerman there this morning to announce the nominees?
There's a reason why Mother Nature isn't on Ron Swanson's Pyramid of Greatness: it keeps Nick Offerman from getting to Los Angeles to announce the Emmy nominations. The actor, who was slated to do the honor, got stuck on the East Coast after the area got slammed by a massive storm and "regretfully" had to miss out on his duties. (For the record, the storm was not a meat tornado.) This year's host Jimmy Kimmel — who showed up in his pajamas. Why? Because it's too damn early — stepped up to fill in alongside actress Kerry Washington (pictured) All for the best, really, as Kimmel got to hear his show get a nod for Best Variety Program, while Offerman inexplicably did not get a nomination, yet again, in his category.
2. Why did American Horror Story get placed in the Miniseries category?
While Ryan Murphy's twisted FX series was eligible to compete in both the Drama Series and Miniseries categories, they wisely chose the latter to avoid competing in the already tight Drama Series race. (Seriously, nothing was getting past Boardwalk Empire, Breaking Bad, Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones, Homeland, and Mad Men.) The same strategy paid off for star Connie Britton, who earned a nomination in the Best Leading Actress in a Miniseries or Movie category. So why was AHS allowed to compete as a Miniseries? The 12-episode first season was actually an anthology (Season 2 will be an entirely new storyline and cast), technically making it a miniseries.
3. How many nominees were also nominated last year?
Comedy was king when it came to repeat nominees. 54% of this year's nominees in the comedy categories were also nominated last year. Of course, Modern Family is largely to thank for that bragging right, as the show itself, as well as all of its adult actors (Ed O'Neill, Sofia Vergara, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet, and last year's winners Ty Burrell and Julie Bowen) are all nominated again this year. Melissa McCarthy will vie for another win in Best Leading Actress in a Comedy Series, as will returning nominees Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie), Tina Fey (30 Rock), and Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation). The drama categories saw 40% of last year's nominees return, including four-time Best Drama Series champ Mad Men. (The show will try and win its fifth consecutive Emmy, while up against fellow returning nominees Boardwalk Empire and Game of Thrones.) The Good Wife star Julianna Margulies will try and follow up her 2011 win in the Best Actress race, as returning nominees Kathy Bates (Harry's Law) and Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men) aim for their first.
4. What the heck is House of Lies?
Glad you asked! Much like last year when Matt LeBlanc earned Best Leading Actor in a Comedy Series nomination for a show on Showtime that not many people watch (in his case, Episodes), Don Cheadle's star power and general awesomeness earned him a slot for his performance on the series about a group of cutthroat management consultants.
5. Why was Downton Abbey a miniseries last year and a series this year?
Well, it was quite the scandal, darling! Hup hup cheerio! British things! The PBS series ran, and won, in the Miniseries category last year, even though it was widely considered to be a drama series. Having grown immensely in popularity this year, Downton Abbey decided to play in the big leagues this year and try to stop Mad Men from earning the first-ever Best Drama Series five-peat.
6. Why was Hemingway &amp; Gellhorn nominated? Wasn't it widely panned by critics?
Never underestimate the power of star power. While the Emmys aren't typically as swayed by nominating big stars in mediocre projects as the Golden Globes often do, it seems they were drawn in by the magnetism of Nicole Kidman and Clive Owen. Even with critics unimpressed by the movie (including Hollywood.com's own Matt Patches, who called it "a major missed opportunity") it had a lot of factors in its favor: it aired on HBO, it starred an Oscar winner and an Oscar nominee, and its a biopic. All the ingredients for a nomination. Still, even with the surprise nomination, the only surprise would be if it actually won. The film is going up against critical and ratings darlings such as Game Change, Hatfields &amp; McCoys, and Sherlock.
7. Besides perennial nominee The Amazing Race, how many years in a row have the other reality competition nominees been nominated?
Since the inception of the Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program back in 2003, The Amazing Race has been nominated and won every year, with the exception of Top Chef taking the title in 2010. In fact, the only other show in this category to be nominated every year since 2003 is American Idol. Nay, was. The series was bumped from the race for the first time by newcomer and rival The Voice. Elsewhere, Survivor had a run of return nominations, from 2003 to 2006, while Dancing with the Stars picked up from there and has been continually nominated since 2006.
8. How many other Saturday Night Live stars have been nominated in the acting category in the past?
First things first, let's point out that Bill Hader has made Emmy history today. The SNL MVP has earned the first-ever Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in the show's illustrious 37-year history. Yay Stefon! This being her final season, Kristen Wiig has nabbed a spot in the Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series once again. Aside from Amy Poehler, no other SNL actresses have garnered acting nominations for SNL.
9. Egads, Modern Family! Has any other comedy in history had every single one of its cast members nominated?
Nope! But Cheers got awfully close back in 1990 when Kirstie Alley, Ted Danson, Rhea Pearlman, Bebe Neuwirth, Kelsey Grammer, and Woody Harrelson were all nominated across Supporting and Lead acting categories. (If John Ratzenberger and George Wendt had also earned nods, they would have earned that bragging right.)
10. What happens if Desperate Housewives star Kathryn Joosten wins?
A month and a half after losing her battle to lung cancer, beloved actress Kathryn Joosten earned a posthumous nod in the Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on Desperate Housewives. (It is the only major Emmy nod for the dramedy's final season.) Joosten was nominated three times, and won twice, for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance as Mrs. McClusky. If Joosten were to win the Emmy, she would be the second posthumous Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series winner, alongside Bewitched star Marion Lorne in 1968.
[Photo Credit: Getty Images]
More:
2012 Emmy Awards: See the Full List of Nominees!
2012 Emmy Awards: Snubs and Surprises!